Gender Gap Closing in Gastroenterology

In 2010, women represented 24% of the U.S. gastroenterologist workforce under the age of 45 years, but only 14% of all gastroenterologists, according to the most recent data available from the American Medical Association.

Among the youngest gastroenterologists – those under the age of 35 years – the proportion was 32% women and 68% men, the AMA reported.

The total number of gastroenterologists in the United States in 2010 was 13,210 – 86% men and 14% women. And the total number of U.S. physicians was 985,375, of whom 688,468 (70%) were men and 296,907 (30%) were women, the AMA said.

The mean age of gastroenterologists in the United States was 49.4 years, and the mean age of all physicians was 51.0 years.